Is Jimmy Butler playing tonight against the Knicks? Latest injury update on Heat star ahead of matchup (10th May 2023)
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat continue to put the world on notice as they have taken another commanding 3-1 series lead in the playoffs and this time it's against the New York Knicks.
For Game 5 in New York's Madison Saquare Garden, Butler is listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain. He has been playing with the injury since he sustained it in Game 1, when Knicks' Josh Hart had his foot colliding with Jimmy's right foot.
In a pivotal win-or-go home game for the Knicks, Jimmy Butler will look to lead his Miami Heat to a closeout game against a home team that will most probably lay everything on the line with the season in jeopardy.
The Heat find themselves in a similar position to the one when they were matched up against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks during the first round. They were also up 3-1 in that series with a crucial Game 5 in the Bucks' homecourt.
Throughout this postseason run, Butler has been excellent. His run started during the Bucks-Heat series, where he averaged 37.6 points on 59.7% shooting, including 44.4% from 3-point range, along with 6.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists.
During the current series, Butler's numbers have remained consistent although not as dominant as they were during the first-round series. In the three games that he has played, he is averaging 26.7 points on 48.1% shooting along with 7.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists.
Jimmy Butler on the mindset entering Game 5 on the road
In Game 4, Jimmy Butler dropped 27 points on 9-17 shooting along with 10 assists, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks as he led his team to a 109-101 victory.
Following the impressive win, Butler spoke to the media and gave his perspective on what the Heat's mindset will be entering Game 5.
"We’ve always got a shot to win when we’re guarding or just playing together,” Butler said. “This is a game of runs for both sides. But we’ve just got to continue to play hard. We’ve damn sure got to play hard when we go up to New York. But we’ve got a job to do, and I think we’re very capable."
Closeout games in a playoff series have always been difficult as desperate teams don't easily back down when their backs are against the wall. But interestingly enough, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat have had the odds stacked up against them ever since the postseason began as they finished the regular season with the eighth seed.